Match-box.



No. 649,358. Patented ma 'fs, I900.

.1. K. nosmsun.

MATCH BOX.

(Application filed Sept. 5, 1899.)

(No Model.)

0% 1w 3 9m m 'rrn STATES Ann rFIcE.

.IOIINII. ROBINSON, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO THE DIAMOND MATCH COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

MATCH-BOX.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters iatent No. 649,358, dated May 8, 1900.

Application filed September 5 1899. Serial No. 729,525. (No model.)

To ctZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN K. ROBINSON, of Chicago, in the county of Cook, and in the State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Match-Boxes; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of a box having upon its edge the form and arrangement of igniting-surface preferably employed, and Fig. 2 is a side view of a box having an alternative form and arrangement of igniting-surface.

Letters of like name and kind-refer to like parts in each of the figures.

In the manufacture of boxes containing matches it has heretofore been customary to form upon one of the side edges of such box a strip of igniting material which extends centrally from .end to end thereof and is for lighting matches.

The object of my invention is to produce a friction surface upon match boxes which shall possess greater efficiency than that described, shall involve less expense in its production by decreasing the weight of the box, shall lessen the cost of transportation, and which shall tend to prevent the match-head from leaving the side edge of the box in a lateral direction, but which shall tend to keep such match-head traveling in the direction of the length of said side edge so long as it is moved over its surface; and to such end my said invention consists in a match-box provided with an igniting-surface substantially as. and for the purpose hereinafter specified.

In the carrying of my invention into practice I provide upon one of the surfaces of a match-box A, preferably upon a side a, a series of sections of igniting material 5 and b,

which sections have preferably the form of straight strips which incline from the edge of the box toward the center of its side a, and all or the majority of which strips incline toward the same end of such side, as shown in Fig. 1. The strips 1) andb thus form in effect a series of guiding-ridges which tend to deflect the match-head toward the center of the box, and thus tend to prevent the lateral escape of the match-head from the ignitingsurface during its travel in the general direction of the length of the same. The same ef feet is obtained by any series of strips of igniting material, the greater number of which strips are bent or inclined at their central portions toward the same end of the box side. Preferably each of such strips extends entirely or nearly across the side a, and the series of strips extend from end to end of the same; but such dimensions are not essential and may be varied at will. As thus c0nstructed the match-lighting side of the box is composed of a series of separate or detached igniting-sections, over which the friction end of a match is successively drawn when it is desired to ignite the latter, such interrupted frictional contact between the match end and the igniting material being found to be more effective than the continuous contact heretofore employed. In addition to such increased effectiveness the igniting-sections do not become as easily clogged and ineffective as will a continuous section or surface, while as the amount of igniting material required is materially lessened a considerable saving in the cost of the box and in the cost of its transportation is effected.

WVhile the form and arrangement of igniting-surfaees shown in Fig. 1 is preferably employed, other forms and arrangements, such as the curved lines o, c, and c of igniting'material illustrated in Fig. 2, may be used without departing from the spirit of myinvention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is A match-box provided on one of its sides with a series of separated sections of igniting material, said sections consisting mainly of lines having their middle sections bent in the same direction, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand this 24th day of August, 1899.

JOHN K. ROBINSON. 

